1986 McMNC: Penn State Nittany Lions

AP Top 10: Final Record -- Key Bowl Results

1. Penn State: 12-0-0 -- W, Fiesta, 14-10
2. Miami-FL: 11-1-0 -- L, Fiesta, 10-14
3. Oklahoma: 11-1-0 -- W, Orange, 42-8
4. Arizona State: 10-1-1 -- W, Rose, 22-15
5. Nebraska: 10-2-0 -- W, Sugar, 30-15
6. Auburn: 10-2-0 -- W, Citrus, 16-7
7. Ohio State: 10-3-0 -- W, Cotton, 28-12
8. Michigan: 11-2-0 -- L, Rose, 15-22
9. Alabama: 10-3-0 -- W, Sun, 28-6
10. LSU: 9-3-0 -- L, Sugar, 15-30

Oh, John Shaffner.

Two notes: the Top 9 all had double-digit wins. Impressive. Also, explain to me HOW Ohio State finished ahead of Michigan in this final poll. They had an inferior record AND they lost to the Wolverines, head-to-head, at home in the regular season. I guess the bowl games really matter, eh?

Surface? It's Penn State. But we must look at other teams out of obligation to the truth. Those teams are Oklahoma and Arizona State (which proved anyone can beat Bo in a bowl game -- even John Cooper).

ASU went 5-1-1 in Pac-10 play, beating AP #14 UCLA (8-3-1) and AP #18 Washington (8-3-1) for the league title (both went 5-2-1 in conference games, in yet another example of stupid, unbalanced scheduling). The Sun Devils had a 52% SOS rating, and their only loss was to AP #11 Arizona (9-3) in the last regular season game, on the road in Tucson. That knocked them out of the title hunt at the time. But what really knocks them out of this McMNC discussion is the tie: no, it wasn't against UCLA or Washington. ASU beat both teams during the season. The Sun Devils tied 3-7-1 Washington State at home on September 27, and no one has that kind of game against a losing team and still wins a McMNC.

Oklahoma's one loss was to Miami-FL on the road, also on September 27. Is there some significance there? 9/27 put through Numerology O'McMNC gives us the lucky number ... nine. Does that mean Penn State is dressed to the nines in 1986 for the McMNC? Stay tuned! Well, actually, I have the answer for you right here: the Sooners' SOS rating was 55%, which is pretty good. They beat AP #14 UCLA at home by 35 points to open the season. They beat 6-6 Minnesota in a 63-0 pounding the next week at home. They shutout 6-5 Oklahoma State at home 19-0, they whitewashed 6-5 Iowa State 38-0 on the road, they beat #5 Nebraska by three points on the road, and they pounded AP #15 Arkansas (9-3) in the Orange Bowl. The defense threw five shutouts in 12 games and only gave up 81 points on the season while scoring 508 points themselves. Amazing numbers, but alas, they did lose to a team that Penn State beat in the Fiesta Bowl. They may be the best #2 team ever (since 1983 Nebraska didn't finish #2 in the McMNC rankings). To edge out the Nittany Lions, the Sooners need a ten-point edge in SOS ...

And they won't get it, as Penn State finished with a perfect record and a 54% SOS rating -- not great, but good enough to clinch the deal here. The Nittany Lions beat 6-5 Temple at home by 30 points, they beat AP #19 Boston College (9-3) on the road by 12 points, they beat AP #9 Alabama on the road by 20 points, and they beat #2 Miami-FL in the Fiesta Bowl. Not a great schedule as noted, but it's good enough since they ran the table.

Has Paterno ever properly thanked Vinny T. for this one?!

McMNC Revisions
1. Penn State
2. Miami
3. Oklahoma
4. Arizona State
5. Nebraska

RUNNING SCORECARD:
USC: -1962, =1967, +1969, =1972, +1978, +1979
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937, =1976, +1980
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951
Penn State: +1977, +1981, =1982, =1986
UCLA: +1965
Arkansas: +1964
Mississippi: +1962
Washington: +1960
Iowa: +1956
Georgia Tech: +1952
Illinois: +1951
Michigan: +1947, =1948
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
Nebraska: =1970, =1971
BYU: =1984
Syracuse: =1959
LSU: =1958
Texas A&M: =1939
Auburn: -1957, +1983
Georgia: +1946, -1980
Michigan State: -1952, +1953
Ohio State: -1942, +1944, =1954, =1968
Oklahoma: +1949, -1950, =1955, -1956, +1957, =1975, =1986
TCU: -1938
Maryland: -1953
Clemson: -1981
Miami-FL: -1983
Texas: =1963, -1969
Army: -1944, -1945
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941, -1960
Alabama: +1945, =1961, -1964, -1965, -1978, -1979
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949, =1966, =1973, -1977